I first learned about this when Baddie plurked about it. I continued to read his blog post where I found out how a certain “web design company” called WebSapient that claims to be “a leading Web Designing, Development & Internet Marketing Company” blatantly copied a Filipino freelance designer’s entire portfolio. Below are the screenshots I took as soon as I finished reading about the story. (click on images to view larger version)
The Original Portfolio
The Copycat Portfolio
Not only did they rip-off one of Marco’s works but his ENTIRE portfolio. If that isn’t a blatant rip-off of somebody’s work, I don’t know what is.
According to their About Us page, WebSapient claims to be:
“an experienced and well established web design company specializing in website design and e-commerce development,”.
and
“Our team comprises of the most brilliant and skillful people in the industry with collective experience in Designing Web 2.0, graphic design, website development, Flash animation, Search Engine Optimization, Link Building and e-commerce programming.”
I’m not sure about the other skills that they mentioned above, but for sure I know that they’re good at one thing and that’s Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V (Copy and Paste). I bet even their list of clients and the clients testimonials are either ripped-off from someone else’s site or bogus.
I had my share of experiences with copycats, including one with a copycat blogger who copied several of my posts word-for-word without my permission or even giving me credit for my work (he later took down the posts and apologized after I contacted him) and the most recent one, a Filipino blogger who scraped my blog theme (premium theme/single license) and used it for his own but forgot to remove the links to my page. But all of that doesn’t come close to this.
Marco Palinar – the Site Guy, works as a freelance designer and his portfolio is his “life”, it’s his bread and butter. For someone to take his work, copy it and put it up as their own is not only plagiarism, copy-right infringement but absolutely wrong.
As of this moment, WebSapient have already pulled down their “portfolio” and replaced it with an “under construction” page. Too bad for them, a lot of bloggers already have evidence (screencaps) of their bogus portfolio. To other designers out there, watch out! Your portfolio might be next!
To WebSapient, of all the designer portfolio’s you could rip-off you chose Marco’s. Wrong move. You messed with the wrong guy. Now, you’re sooooo screwed! Or as Baddie would say it “Googlescrewed”!
Other bloggers who posted about this story:
Help spread the word! WebSapient needs to learn a lesson from this same goes for the other bogus “web design” sites out there that they can’t just rip-off somebody’s work and get away with it.
Please DIGG this WebSapient rips off ENTIRE portfolio off freelance designer
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January 6th, 2010 at 5:23 pm
Wonder if there’s anything legally that they can do to force them to take off the fake portfolio
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December 12th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
@ceblogger – Negotiating is out of the question in this case because these type of bogus sites and companies exist to rip-off unsuspecting customers of their money. I’m sure this is not the only fake website/company that they run and this won’t be the last.
December 12th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
these shameless people made a very wrong move. they could have contacted the real owner and perhaps negotiate for some price.
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December 12th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
@Leon – It easily ranks among the lowest of lows. They hoped and thought that they could get away with it but too bad for them, they didn’t. First, they took down their portfolio page, now the whole site is under construction and you only see their logo when try to open their website. I guess they’re trying to cook up a new “design” and “portfolio”.
December 12th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
That’s so low. But they deserve all the bad press they can get. I’m mean this is the Internet. Did they really think they’d get away with it?
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December 12th, 2008 at 6:10 am
@jan – Yeah, what a waste of talent and resources. I think they could be kicked out from their web host if their hosting provider is located in the US or Europe where the DCMA and EUCD are implemented. If not, there’s nothing much you can do. These type of websites/companies are just overnight, they setup a website with a bogus name/identity and try to lure a customer. Once they get the money, they’ll just disappear into thin air.
Yeah, the messed with the wrong guy and the wrong people. :D
Btw, thanks for dropping by and sharing your thoughts.
December 12th, 2008 at 6:07 am
What a shame. Most brilliant and skillful indeed..at ripping off other people’s creations. Isn’t this sufficient cause for them to be kicked out from their present web host? But I can guess they easily find other places to launch their highly questionable business. Good to know they get their comeuppance at the hands of Filipinos. Hurray.
December 12th, 2008 at 5:50 am
@Laarni – Yeah, they had to. Their secret deed was uncovered and they’re Googlescrewed so they had no choice. But I don’t think that’s the last time we’ll see of them and I’m guessing they’re busy right now looking for a new portfolio to rip next. LOL
The image? Hehe I just woke up when I first read about it and this is what I came up with afterwards. :D
December 12th, 2008 at 5:45 am
It’s good to know they took it down already. Haangkulet ng image na nilagay mo. heheh.
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